Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128407
letters to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, PO Box 5084, Cosio Mesa, CA 92628-5084; foxed 10 714-751-6685 or emoiled 10 editor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reRect the position 01 Cycle News, Inc. letters should nol exceed 200 words, and all are 5ubiect 10 editing. Anonymous IeHers will not be considered for publication. All leiters should contain the writer's nome, address and daytime phone number... Editor. EnduroCross Kudos Thanks for helping to support the 2005 EnduroCross event on November 19. That was one of the best indoor motorcycle events I have ever seen. It was very organized, fast paced, full of action, and John Dowd finished second. I can't wait for next year! John R. MocGugan via the Internet EnduroCross Kudos II Comparing an EnduroCross to an Arenacross, is like comparing a Chevy Impala to Formula One race car. I have never seen so many people rise to their feet at an indoor motorsports event so often. I was standing almost as much as I was sitting. It beats the pants off the old turn and jump. I look forward to the write-up in Cycle News. Mike Girardi via the Internet We ron (ull coverage o( the Maxxis EnduroCross in lost week's edition... Editor EnduroCross Kudos III My wife and I attended the 2005 EnduroCross and had a blast! We've been to Supercross and MotoGP races, but the EnduroCross has them beat - hands down. It was the most exciting racing we've ever seen. We really enjoyed watching the amateur qualifying races on Friday and the Pros on Saturday. We are very much looking forward to next year's EnduroCross! £dMaki via the Internet EnduroCross Kudos IV you do get have to be reworked - from shimming transmission gears to building complete ignitions. The engine will not stay together, nor is it remotely competitive when you buy the 25-year-old 'tractor.' Now throw in a bunch of KTMs, Rotaxes, and even a VOR, all of which have won Grand Nationals. Now add the fact that custom dirt-track frames are rarely inline, absolutely nothing fits, and it all has to be custom made. Oh yeah, there's also a spec-tire rule. Think that makes it easy? Hell no. Tires are cut, tractionized (poked with thousands of holes from a spike wheel - yeah, spinning in the pits) and lord knows what kind of chemicals have been added. Do you have any idea how many tires Kenny changes in a year? And who do you think drives Chris Carr's truck all the way back to Texas after every National - and then rebuilds all that good-old, reliable, top-notch Hartey stuff. And is ready for the next weekend. Now if Mitch could take a Briggs & Stratton single, build his own motocross frame and win a supercross, then take the John Deere twin, build a bike and win the Motocross Championship... then I'd vote for him a second time. Greg Tysor via the Internet Road-Race Safety Regarding the safety of road racing tracks that the AMA uses for its professional racing season: After how many friggin' years of "sanctioning" races, why doesn't the AMA have a regular, scheduled homologation procedure for acceptance of all the tracks used for the series? Uh, well, I'll let you-all fill in my expletivelaced answer to this! David Bell Oakland, CA I want to thank Tim Clark at Pro-Motion Motorsports for giving the opportunity for my family and myself to attend the EnduroCross in Las Vegas. We have attended many races (supercross, motocross and GPs) in many different formats over many years and this is by far the best we have seen. We will back next year. Keep up the great work and thank you again! Damien Sanchez Yorba Linda, CA Congrats To Payton, Sort Of Congratulations to Mitch Payton for earning the mechanical excellence award at the AMA Pro Racing banquet. I'm sure he worked hard for it. Ialso read where Kenny Tolbert was nominated. Again, I'm sure Mitch is a fine mechanic/engine builder, but I'd like to make a few points. While Mitch is putting the fine tune on very nice motocross equipment, Kenny is ordering XR750 engines in boxes. You can't even buy a complete motor and the parts 6 "It beats the pants off the old turn and jump." Roberts Jr., Etc. A while back, you ran a reader poll asking people who was the least deserving of a MotoGP ride. I cannot believe that a majority of your readers would select Kenny Roberts Jr. as least deserving of a ride over all of the candidates that you listed. I think you need to educate your readers as to Kenny's talent. To say he is less deserving than Rueben Xaus or Toni Elias, or any of the others on the list is a joke - not to mention the fact that no one on the list is a former 500cc or MotoGP Champion, except Kenny. While I think we all know that Kenny has struggled with the GSV-R, so has John Hopkins, who was supposed to be the next Kevin Schwantz when he went Grand Prix racing, according to all in the know. I'm not even a Kenny Jr. supporter, but I'm not blind either. Any of the other teams would be idiots not to offer this guy a ride. I would love to see what he could do on the Honda or even the Kawasaki with what DECEMBER 7,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Shinya Nakano has shown us this year. So kick Max Biaggi or Makota Tamada to the curb and make room for Kenny on the Honda. Or say goodbye to Olivier Jacque and welcome Kenny to Kawasaki. Paul Blackmore via the Internet It looks os though Kenny Jr. will get a chance with Hondo engines in his (other's chassis... Editor Baja I000 Thanks First and foremost - thank you all for a job well done. All of you performed above and beyond our asking. We finished third in class and around 10th overall (at this writing, I don't have the time of our finish). So let's wrap up the race for you. First, the team: We decided to take on the Baja 1000 just 12 days before the race. We set a goal, and a plan to accomplish our goal. The goal - a respectable finish. Everyone should be very pleased with our performance. We exceeded our own goal in every way. Next, the bike: In just three days we built two bikes (a race bike and a duplicate for practice and testing). Almost an impossible task, but it was accomplished with the help of Yoshimura Racing and many, many helpers and sponsors. On race day, we never replaced one part, or had to adjust or tighten one bolt! Only one flat tire, and a gearing dilemma we had to live with, set us back on time. The riders: Everyone did an absolutely perfect job. The communication and helping each other really made this team gel, and the world-class athletics we had showed why they're the best. Thank you Andy and RJ for being great teachers, and thank you Travis and Greg for being such quick learners. The logistics: We had one team manager, two co-managers, four riders, two mechanics, 18 pits, 51 pit personnel, three chase vehicles, 14 pit vehicles, and two film crews. We also had the pleasure of being helped by SMD Motorsports, the McMillin family, and DP Racing. Thanks, guys! What can I say? Everyone one of you did an awesome job. We had one screw up and I take full responsibility for the missing transponder (that we didn't get). Our team was supposed to have secured a Rally Track [GPS transponder] at the start line and for some reason it did not happen. I wasn't at the start line, so I don't know what happened, but it should not alter or lessen your enthusiasm or excitement for a job well done. We rode to a third-place finish - regardless of official results. I can't thank you all enough and I look forward to working with all of you in the future. Neil Grider via the Internet Grider was the team coordinator (or the Baja 1000 team o( Travis Pastrana, Andy Grider, Rick Johnson and Greg Godfrey... Editor